Washington Nationals: Time to shelve Edwin Jackson

After a strong start, Washington Nationals pitcher Edwin Jackson is in a major slump. Although a valuable member of the team, his season should end.

The Washington Nationals got everything they could out of Edwin Jackson. The time has come to thank him for his services and move on.

Promoted from Triple-A Syracuse after Joe Ross went down for Tommy John surgery, Jackson more than held his own as Washington’s fifth starter. A record of 5-3 with a sub-3.00 ERA carried him through eight starts over July and August. Any time a back-end starter gives you over six innings a night, you get tremendous value.

Jackson averaged 6.125 every fifth day. Then came September.

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His last four starts have been a disaster. Averaging four innings a start, Jackson lost three decisions posting an ERA of 12.38. His WHIP for the month is 2.125. The slash line? Try .361/.420/.806. Nine balls left the yard in 81 plate appearances. Those are Barry Bonds numbers.

Fifth starters become long relievers in the playoffs. They can eat innings when a starter gets shelled with the hope the offense can fight themselves back in the game. Over the last 23 days, Jackson made it past the fifth once in four shots.

Dusty Baker finds himself in the position where he cannot use him come October. It is okay to waive the proverbial white flag in the regular season; you cannot in the playoffs if the World Series is the goal.

Two wins shy for 100 in his career, Jackson blew a 6-1 lead Friday night in Queens versus the New York Mets. His fourth-straight start where five runs or more scored. Ten of his 23 batters faced reached. Last Friday at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers, eight of 15 hitters found the bases. When you retire less than half your batters, bad things happen.

Jackson beat the Miami Marlins in DC on August 29, his ERA was a combined 3.33 for his Nats and brief stint with the Baltimore Orioles. When the fifth inning finished Friday night, the number jumped to 5.40.

AJ Cole, by default, should grab the long man role for the playoffs. With Erick Fedde’s season done and Austin Voth regressing, that is the best choice.

By falling apart, Jackson moved from a position where the Nats were likely to re-sign him for the fifth spot next year to nothing being certain. Fedde, Cole and Voth will spend next spring auditioning along with whoever Washington signs as a free agent.

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Although the business end is cold, you must feel bad for Jackson. He pitched so well over two months. For this to happen now is sad.

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